s we reboot, rethink, and reassess our values in the first couple of months of 2017, I'd like to reflect on what this year will mean for education. In the months to come, we will face substantial shifts resulting from the elections of the past year, which not only brought us new politicians, but also demonstrated a deep division between the perceptions of the coastal cities and the rest of the country. As the CEO of a personalized-learning company, Education Elements, I use this time of reflection to consider what changes and shifts are afoot for our districts partners. For education as a whole, there are five major changes that I predict 2017 will bring:
1. School districts are going to face a lot more competition from charters, vouchers, and the internet. The confirmation of Betsy DeVos as U.S. secretary of education makes this prediction a near certainty. How new policies will get implemented is less certain, but it will be important for school districts to prepare. For the first time, in many cases, districts will actually need to market themselves and compete for enrollment. This will require every district to think more like a customer-centric organization. While it's going to be a painful change in mindset for some, districts that are focused on personalized learning already see increased enrollment, higher teacher satisfaction, and greater student engagement, according to an Education Elements survey of school district clients....
Article originally appeared on Edweek. Read the full article here.